Fire in the Willow Trees
by Starlight Warrior 1092
Summary: Stories of pain, love, hope and heartbreak. Challenge accepted. (For WillowClan, please feel free to read even if you're not in WillowClan!) Chapter 5: Graysand has something important to tell his kits. They want to know about their mother. So he tells them the tragic story of how they met, fell in love... Listen to your heart, Graysand had been told. So that's exactly what he did.
1. A Harsh LeafBare

**The first chapter in my 'book' of Challenges, all from the WillowClan forum. All of these will be to make myself a better writer, and provide stories for Warriors fans to enjoy.**

**The first one here is a little sad, just with all of the things that happen. I don't own Warriors, as you all must know. Please leave me some comments, so I can improve my writing skills! And, without further blabbing on my part, enjoy!**

**01/08/13**

**Challenge: A Harsh LeafBare**

Droplets of frozen rain dappled across the territory, leaving blankets of snow and ice covering the ground. Frozen wind blew harshly across the ground, stirring up the snowflakes into tiny tornadoes of ice. The leaves were long gone from the trees, only leaving dead and ice covered blackened branches hanging tightly onto the thick trunks. Bushes froze, either losing their leaves or being some of the few whose leaves froze to the small plants, as bright green as they were in NewLeaf.

Small paw prints told of an invisible-to-the-eyes path taken by many, though only showing few prints due to the snowy covering. A cat had just recently passed by the trail, on the search for food to feed her Clan.

This cat was a silver she cat with dark tabby stripes rippling across her pelt. Her eyes were large and as blue as the GreenLeaf sky. Silverpool, the she cat, had been stalking some prey. Prey was scarce at a time like this, but Silverpool would spend all day hunting if it meant that she could feed the cats of her Clan. Sure, she felt the hunger herself- every warrior in the Clan did- but she couldn't let that hold her back from following the warrior code and feeding the kits and elders before herself.

A puny mouse hung from her jaws, the only catch that she'd managed to get that day so far. She was an excellent hunter, but even the best hunter can't bring back prey that isn't there. Wishing that she could offer more to her family, her Clan, she headed back towards the camp. The cold wind was getting to her, and she needed a rest in the warm warriors den before heading out to go hunting again.

Trotting carefully through the banks of snow, not wanting to fall into a deep patch and have trouble getting back out again, Silverpool hurried back towards camp. She sensed that something was wrong, but she couldn't be sure until she knew that her friends and family were all safe. Leaping gracefully over a frozen log, Silverpool plunged through the camp entrance.

Blue eyes darted around camp, searching. Mousetail, her father, was sitting near Icewhisker, her mother. Both of their heads were hung, which only meant bad news. The gray and white tomcat looked like he was trying to comfort the silver she cat, but it didn't seem to be working. Silverpool felt fear rising in her chest. Something bad had happened, but to who?

A wordless wail of grief let Silverpool know what had happened. As she scurried over towards the nursery, panic welled up inside of her. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong. Upon dashing through the ferns that covered the entrance, Silverpool's blue eyes widened at seeing the small scrap of ginger fur lying next to the medicine cat's bent head. The gray and white tomcat looked over at Silverpool, raw pain showing in the depths. No cat should have to die as a kit, and the medicine cat knew that as well as Silverpool did.

"Redkit." The name was whispered, Silverpool guessed that it was from her, but she wasn't sure. A small-looking, shaking mass of fur was pressed against a ginger tomcat. The silver and white tabby she cat who was currently shaking with pain and grief looked over at Silverpool for a moment. Pain clouded her eyes, and Silverpool felt her heart break for her sister, Frostlily. This was her first litter, and now Redkit was dead.

The grieving mother's mate couldn't look at Silverpool; his eyes were closed tightly in order to stop the stream of tears from escaping. Poor Flameheart, it was just as bad for him as it was for Frostlily, yet Silverpool didn't know what to say to him. She padded over to the couple, licking at her sister's shoulder. Nothing could take away the pain that follows death like a shadow. Nothing would ever make it better… so what do you say?

"I'm going to take Redkit away to bury him," the medicine cat, Brackenberry, meowed, getting to his paws and reaching for the tiny, limp body.

"No!" Flameheart growled, his eyes opening quickly and darting over to the medicine cat as if Brackenberry had suggested that they set fire to the kit's corpse. He rose to his paws, untangling Frostlily's quivering form from his, and marched over to the body. Frostlily pressed against Silverpool instead, and the she cat wrapped her tail around her sister's shoulders.

"I will be the one to bury my son," Flameheart announced, his voice cracking with pain. Tail on the ground and head lowered, the ginger tom picked Redkit's body up with the gentleness of a mother who's taking her kit back to the den. Silverpool's heart ached for him as he left the den, the ferns swishing as his tail disappeared.

"I'm so sorry," Brackenberry meowed quietly, gathering himself up and headed towards the entrance to the nursery. "But Frostlily, you must not let this stop you. I'll bring you some borage later on, to help your milk."

"What's the _point?!_" Frostlily hissed, anger that Silverpool had never seen before burning in the other she cat's eyes. "Redkit is _dead_, Brackenberry! I've _killed_ him! What's the point of _living_ anymore?!"

Silverpool almost gasped at her sister's words, but knew that it was the grief talking. Frostlily would never think of joining StarClan at such an early age, but now that her only son had died… She could see why Frostlily saw no point in living.

"It wasn't you who killed Redkit," Silverpool insisted, licking her sister's ears. "It was the cold, and the hunger. You couldn't do anything about it. You can't give them food that you don't have, Frostlily. But don't forget about Owlkit and Riverkit, they need you too right now. They've… they've lost a littermate, and they're still too young for real food. If you don't care for them they'll be joining Redkit in StarClan. Do you want that to happen? Would you let them die, Frostlily?"

Frostlily turned to her sister, surprise shining in her bright, leaf green eyes. "I would _never_ let my kits die!" Frostlily hissed, anger growing in her eyes. "How could you even _think_ that?!"

"I didn't believe it, not for a heartbeat," Silverpool promised. "I was just making sure that _you_ believed it, too."

Pressing against her sister as the white kit and silver kit, Owlkit and Riverkit respectively, joined them too. Silverpool didn't want to think about the future at a time like this, since it felt as if time had stopped and nothing made any sense anymore. But Silverpool had a bad feeling that this wasn't the end. No, this LeafBare would just get worse. This was only the beginning.

-x-

The thick scent of fox bothered Silverpool. Faint paw steps hit her ears as she turned around, seeing the rest of the patrol catching up to her. Border patrols were forgotten, since no cat dared to threaten the borders at a time like this. No cat had the strength to. The oldest of the group, a black tomcat named Shadestripe, nodded to her to continue the search. So far, a tiny squirrel and a freshly killed, plump rabbit were all they had found. One of the twolegs must've lost their rabbit, because the patrol found it on the side of the thunderpath, its blood still warm.

"Fox," Silverpool muttered, flicking her ears to Smokeclaw. The dark gray tabby tomcat nodded, knowing to be careful.

The three cats made up one of the many patrols, or at least of the ones that they could spare from the camp. Greencough was making life in the camp worse, when Beechstep, an elder, fell sick with it a quarter moon ago. It had been spreading slowly since then, as the temperatures got colder and colder. It was difficult for the Clans to even get water at the moment, since they had to break through the thick layer of ice to do so.

"Something's coming," Shadestripe warned, his pelt bristling. Silverpool felt her claws sink out, digging deep into the snow and ice beneath them. There was danger lurking in the shadows, she could feel it. And it wasn't just the sickness…

A flash of ginger caught Silverpool's eye, and as she whipped around her fear rose. A scrawny looking fox glared at the three starving cats, eyeing their newly caught prey. The fox's long, sharp, dripping fangs glinted in the sunlight as the fox's mouth opened in a growl.

Silverpool's eyes widened, and for a moment she couldn't find a way to move. The fox darted forward, snapping its teeth at Smokeclaw. The dark gray tabby tomcat leaped to the side, quick as lightning, and slashed his claws across the fox's nose. While the fox was distracted, Shadestripe leaped for its back, digging into the ginger fur and holding on with all of his might.

Silverpool, regaining her ability to move, darted near the fox and raked her claws down its flank. Blood was already pooling on the ground, and the fox's ginger fur only grew darker and darker from the blood. It managed to throw Shadestripe from its back, growling in the tomcat's face. Smokeclaw, not wanting to be beaten by a fox, bit down on its tail. The fox turned around and, in anger, grabbed the tomcat by the neck and threw him across the clearing with a sickening _thump_. The tomcat didn't get up.

"Smokeclaw!" Silverpool gasped, rage pouring through her veins. With a yowl of anger, Silverpool slashed at the fox's face, aiming for its eyes in order to blind it. The fox backed away, only to back up into Shadestripe, who ripped at its legs. Screeching in agony, the fox turned and fled from the furious cats. Shadestripe raced after it for a few paw steps, while Silverpool raced over to Smokeclaw's side.

"Don't… don't… don't be…" Silverpool choked out, not wanting to say the words. Agony rippled across every bit of fur on her when she realized that the tomcat, her only brother, was dead. He couldn't be… but the gray flank was still, and blood seeped from his mouth and neck where the fox had taken ahold of him.

Letting out a wordless wail, Silverpool buried her face in her brother's fur, hating the fact that it was already growing cold. He was gone, and there was no bringing him back. Cursing StarClan a thousand times in her mind, Silverpool wished that the fight had never happened, and that they had gone back to camp liked Smokeclaw had earlier suggested. Why hadn't they listened?

And now a brave warrior was dead.

-x-

Silverpool looked down at her reflection before licking at the stream in front of her. Her eyes were hollowed with grief for all of the cats that had long since moved on to StarClan. Smokeclaw, her brother, had joined their ranks half a moon ago. A moon ago it had been Redkit. And now, a third of the Clan was gone. Greencough had spread too quickly for Brackenberry and his apprentice, Mudwhisker, to cure. It even took the life of the old medicine cat, leaving Mudwhisker as the solo medicine cat of the Clan.

After one good, warm day in the middle of LeafBare- many cats guessed that StarClan had blessed them with one warm day to melt some ice so that they wouldn't have to try to eat snow to survive- the cold and frost had returned, wiping out anything that had tried to grow. The days got colder and colder- colder than they had been before the random warm day.

Silverpool looked up at the sky and the glittering stars, her heart aching. So many had already joined the stars that Leafbare, and barely a moon and a half had gone by. Another moon and a half, at least, still was left to torment the Clans in every way possible. Some cats were losing hope.

But Silverpool couldn't lose hope, not knowing that her brother, her niece, and her parents were watching over her. Her parents had joined StarClan due to the greencough, but their death was still hurting Silverpool. And Frostlily, too.

Looking at the stars one last time, Silverpool felt that something was going to happen. Why did she keep having these horrid feelings? Why? Did the stars curse her to know when cats were going to be killed? What sense did that make?

All Silverpool knew was that it wasn't going to be one cat this time. It was going to be many.

-x-

Silverpool watched the snowflakes fall, faster and faster. She should've guessed that it would start snowing again. She had helped Frostlily bring her two remaining kits over to the warriors den to try and keep them warm. The other queen that currently had kits, Sweetpetal, wanted to stay in the nursery. She thought that her kits might be in danger with so many cats around; since they were so young- they could _easily_ catch greencough around so many cats! So she had stayed in the nursery.

Silverpool noted that she couldn't see anything but white snow anymore, endless white. She hoped that Sweetpetal and her kits were all safe and snuggled up in the nursery. The three kits were beautiful, all having the same tortoiseshell pattern that their mother had.

The bad feeling wouldn't leave Silverpool alone, the one that she had gotten just a few sunsets ago. She prayed to StarClan that it didn't have anything to do with Sweetpetal… but seeing that she was the only cat who wasn't currently in the warriors den- even Treestar and Mudwhisker were with them at the moment- it had to be about her.

There was just no other way… unless they all got greencough in their sleep and died without ever waking up, all around the same time, then there was something wrong with Sweetpetal. But Silverpool couldn't even send anyone to check on her, even if she wanted to. The snow was pouring from the sky too fast, and blowing around at unsafe winds. Sweetpetal would have to last through the night for any cat to go check on her and the kits. Silverpool prayed that she would.

-x-

The next day, Sweetpetal's death didn't come as a shock to Silverpool. She still felt sad, since the cat was of her Clan and therefore part of her family, but it wasn't shocking. Whenever she had the bad feeling, someone died.

They had found Sweetpetal, and thinking that she was sleeping, they had tried to wake her. She had frozen in her sleep, most likely, with her kits curled up at her side. They looked like one, big happy family, forever frozen in time by the evil ways of LeafBare.

Was StarClan laughing, now that they had four more in their ranks? Three more innocent kits were gone, and one more cat with her whole life ahead of her, too. Disappeared, just like the snow when NewLeaf came around.

Praying that this would be the last of the deaths, Silverpool found herself saying goodbye to the frozen mother, and the tiny frozen kits. It was not yet their time to die, let they had already passed. And Silverpool knew that nothing could've been done to stop it.

-x-

Rays of sunlight filtered into the den, waking Silverpool from her slumber. Late in the night, one of the newest queens- a cat named Cloudwhisper- had had her kits. Silverpool was thankful that NewLeaf was showing its wings and coming back to them, to protect them from more death.

Shakily getting to her paws, Silverpool found herself wandering over to the nursery. Passing the other cats, she nodded a 'hello' to them before brushing past the ferns and into the den. Frostlily was curled up, asleep, with her two daughters. Passing the still-sleeping cats, Silverpool greeted Cloudwhisper with a kind 'hello'.

Three kits lay curled at her side, like many others had this LeafBare. The first had a tortoiseshell pelt, her eyes still closed. The other two were both white like their mother, though one had ginger spots while the other had gray flecks.

"Their names are Dawnkit, Skykit and Sunkit," Cloudwhisper meowed, her voice tired.

Silverpool didn't even need to ask the new mother why she had named the kits the names she had. Dawnkit, for a new dawn of the Clan as NewLeaf finally arrived. Skykit and Sunkit, for the warming sun in the sky that promised to heat up the Clans, melt the snow away, and bring life back to the shattered remains of the Clan. Silverpool smiled gently, knowing that the harsh LeafBare was finally over.


	2. A Mother's Love

**So, here's my second challenge that was completed. A Mother's Love, given by ponyiowa. Here's my prompt: **

**A queen has just given birth and now looks at her kits. Record her thoughts. Her thoughts do not all need to be about her kits.**

**And thus this was born, no pun intended. :) I don't own Warriors, enjoy the oneshot!**

**-x-**

Pain that had filled my senses and dulled my thoughts for StarClan _knows_ how long was finally ebbing away slowly, being replaced with a feeling of calmness and peace. Everything that had been happening for the past few… minutes? Hours? Days? It had to be hours. Whatever. But what had happened was finally over, and I was thankful for that.

I knew that my usually bright green eyes must be really dull with pain, like the rest of my senses. For a moment my eyes wandered around mindlessly, and then I remembered… my kits!

A ginger and white tomcat was seated next to my, licking at a tiny bundle of dark gray fur. He was licking at its fur backwards… I guess Flamepelt would be right with doing that, he _is_ the medicine cat. Blue eyes met green as he looked up, placing the tiny bundle at my side.

"Thanks," I purred tiredly, closing my eyes. I couldn't face my kits, not yet. I didn't even know them, and they meant everything to me already. I wanted to savor the moment, being alone in my mind, with the soft paws of tiny bodies at my side, looking for the milk that I would give them.

My moment of peace was interrupted by Flamepelt. "Congratulations, Silverwhisker. You have four sons and two daughters."

When those numbers hit my mind, I felt myself mentally gasp. _Six_. Six was a big number. I had never _heard_ of a queen having six kits all at once before. Not even the legendary mother of ThunderClan, Ferncloud. There were tales about her, and she was well remembered- probably due to the many kits that she had.

Happiness washed over me as I opened my eyes, seeing the six little bundles at my side. Each of them looked fi to be a warrior, but I had this feeling that I should never let them out of the nursery. Can kits break? Are they breakable? They have to be, like everything else! But it's not like they're going into battle… yet.

My eyes were drawn to the first one, the oldest. He was closest to my face. I adored him already. He had the same silver pelt as myself, silver as the moon, but it wasn't long furred. No, he had gotten Stormwillow's short, sleek fur. Muscles already rippled beneath his pelt, and in my mind, I could already picture him as a warrior.

Sleek fur rippled underneath his muscles as he leapt at a fox, a dangerous glint in his eyes at towards anything that would ever try to hurt his Clan. A fierce loyalty radiated from him. His claws were golden in the sunlight, his lips drawn back in a snarl. The fox should've ran, if it knew what was good for it. That's how I imagined him, the oldest. As a leader, a protector, a savior even.

The second kit, right next to him, had long tabby and white fur that covered her tiny body, making her look bigger than she actually was. She looked like a tiny copy of my sister, and the way she was looking around and sniffing also reminded me of her, already trying to find her path in life. StarClan, take care of my sister.

I could see her, too, in the future. I imagined her tracking a thrush, her sharp eyes carefully watching its every movement. Her tongue swiped at her lips at she jumped at the unsuspecting bird, pinning it to the ground before it had a chance to move, its neck broken by a single swipe of the paw. Or, I hoped that she would be a good hunter, at least. Longer fur makes it harder to hunt sometimes, as I knew from my own hunting trouble. _Everything_ gets stuck in your pelt.

Next to her was a tiny dark gray- almost black- tomcat. He was already sleep- snoring up a storm, too! I was surprised at how long his whiskers and ears were, he'd have to grow into those for sure. He looked just as precious as the other two.

There was this spark in him that told me that he'd be a good worker, if not as an apprentice then as a warrior. I could see him brightening at the sound of an order, a calm and friendly smile placed across his face. His eyes were calm too, but I could see an excitement in them that was rare. He seemed to have an excitement for life, though you couldn't tell by his snoring!

The fourth kit was another she cat. She had my long furred silver pelt, though she had white paws and a white underbelly, too. She was beautiful now, and I knew that in a few moons she'd be the most beautiful cat in the Clan.

There was something about her pelt that made it seem like she was glowing. I could see her now, bright eyes, fluffy tail, padding through camp. I could even imagine a few little kits chasing after her tail- are they hers or someone else's? - and batting at it with squeals of laughter. A graceful smile was on her face, her eyes sparkling. I knew that she'd be well admired.

The last two kits were tomcats; I knew that from what Flamepelt had told me. My eyes rested on the first of the two, a tiny tomcat with a silver pelt and dark, smoky gray tabby stripes. He looked like a mix of myself and Stormwillow. I liked that about him, since it showed our love almost…

There was something different about him, though, than any of his siblings. He didn't look like he had that 'spark' to become a warrior. Instantly, I was filled with fear for the tiny kit's future. But I realized that it wasn't my decision, it was his. But I still couldn't imagine him as a warrior! I could see the leaves at his paws, a stem in his mouth as he rushed over to treat a wounded cat. He was so confident in the way that he moved- in my imagination, of course- that it was like he was _meant_ to become a medicine cat.

The last kit was another smoky gray, almost black, tomcat. He had long fur, but still looked so much like his father. Or I guess you could say that he looked like his grandfather's father, on his father's side. Birchstep was such a fun-loving cat- even as an elder he was always in a good mood- and everyone loved him. He was hunting with StarClan now, but part of him seemed to have passed down in the generation. He even had the same marking as Birchstep- a white forepaw, on the left.

In my mind's eyes, I could see his laughing and joking around with friends, bringing smiles to all who were around him. There was a mouse at his paws, one that he must've just caught since he was in the forest in my imagination. Oh, he looked like such a warrior, his fluffy fur blowing in the faint breeze.

Suddenly, I was brought back to reality when I heard someone making their way into the nursery. The low rumble of a purr told me that it was Stormwillow, without even having to take my eyes off of the kits. He was at my side in an instant, probably having just leaped the den in one bound.

"They're perfect," Stormwillow purred. Oh, I loved him so much! He was right, too. I offered him a small smile, still exhausted from the whole ordeal. He was so kind and caring, something that I loved about him. I hoped that kindness was passed on to the kits.

"I love you so much," I murmured to Stormwillow as he licked at my ears, purring.

"So, what do you want to name them?" Stormwillow asked, sniffing at each of the kits. The oldest tried to hook his claw on Stormwillow's nose.

Laughing a little, I murmured, "Sootkit." Stormwillow nodded, knowing that I was talking about the firstborn. It seemed like a good warrior name, and though he seemed more of a 'Stormkit', that name was already taken by his father!

"How about _Nightkit_ for this one?" Stormwillow asked, pointing his tail to the tiny, third-born tomcat. I nodded, his pelt was as dark as the night, it just seemed to fit.

"And Leafkit for this one," I meowed, pointing to the one that looked like a tiny copy of my sister. My heart ached, thinking about naming my kit after my dead sister, but I knew that it was a way of honoring her. Or at least, it was a way of honoring her in _my_ mind.

Stormwillow nodded. "Perfect." He knew what had happened to my sister. He knew how close we had been. I didn't think that he'd argue about her name.

"And Dovekit, for the other she cat?" Stormwillow suggested.

Dovekit. A pretty name for a pretty she cat. It seemed to fit.

"Berrykit?" I asked, yawning as I pointed at the silver tomcat with dark tabby stripes. Just a hint of medicine cat, but also the possibility of a strong warrior, too.

"And… Rainkit," Stormwillow purred, seeing how tired I was. I nodded, thinking that that name was just as perfect as the rest of them. I wanted to say more to him, I really did. But when I tried to open my mouth, I could only find a yawn waiting to escape.

Stormwillow purred, licking my head. He told me that he was going to go and spread the good news around before he left. He might've said something else, but I don't really remember at the moment. I can't recall anything other than watching the kits sleeping at my side, willing myself to believe that nothing bad will ever happen to them. I knew that they were going to be great, as long as they got their chance. But of course they would- I would die for any of them, right now. I promise, they'll get their chance. I promise.

**-x-**

**Yes, six kits in one litter is possible. My family fostered and bottle-fed a litter of seven flea-covered kittens (after we killed their fleas!). I imagine a mother planning out her kits future from the moment she sees them, finding all of these hopes and dreams for them suddenly coming to life as she sees them for the first time.**

**Please review and tell me how it was!**


	3. Fearsome Legends

**Fearsome Legends, my third Challenge. See Cherry, I got it done! :) At first, I started it completely different, but then changed it all to get it where it is now. Then I added two sentances right before I posted it. (Still don't own Warriors...) Enjoy the oneshot! (Finished 1/15/13)**

_"Legend tells us of an evil place, which only few know the way to. Ones whose hearts are shadowed by ambition, who forget their path in life and are led by greed, are able to find this place. They call it the River of Sorrow. The river hides an unground cave, known as the Cave of Shadows. That's where the darkest souls go to find the power to be better and take control._

_ Few cats have ever escaped the Cave of Shadows with their lives, and the ones who did gained the power that they needed. Those who never escaped with their lives were stuck there forever; their souls trapped in the midnight black stone that rested in the cave, called the Heart of Death._

_ Those souls were to never see the light of day again. It was their choice to either help those who arrived in the cave, or to trick them into never leaving, to acquire new company in their eternal suffering. No one knows if you should listen to them or not, or which will tell the truth. Some are jealous that the new cat is getting the power that they were refused, so they turn against him. Some don't want him to share the same, cruel fate, and will try to help. _

_ But in the end, it's what the cat does that decides if he lives, or if he dies. Those who live are granted the power to control the Clans, with all of the power of the souls of the Heart of Death, all combined in one form. All of their evil mixes together and forms the power, if the living cat wants it. But that doesn't happen a lot. Most times, the cats end up dead, and join the ranks of the forgotten._

_ If one tries to find the Heart of Death to be granted the power, they must journey from their Clan for an unknown amount of time. Some cats, it takes mere heartbeats to find the River of Sorrow that leads the way; others may search their whole lives and never even come close to finding it._

_ Few cats have ever escaped with their lives. Only four cats are known to have left. The first was a cat by the name of Rowanstar. He was only Rowanwhisker then, a young, brave tomcat who was ready for adventure, but let his greed for power consume him upon finding the River of Sorrow. Many cats before him had tried and failed, and the fact that he lived left his name forever in history._

_ The second, a cat named Whitestar, was known for her merciless killing of all in her path. Warriors, apprentices, kits even- it didn't matter to her! Anyone who was in her way was cut down in order to obtain a spot as the leader of the Clan. Whitepetal, the name she was once called, was a sweet and caring cat once upon a time. That is, until she grew tired of always being the cat everyone else used to get what they wanted. A hatred towards others grew in her heart, and upon finding the Heart of Death, she sold her soul to the shadows before she was granted the power to destroy all those who had ever used her, and make sure it would never happen again. Along with becoming leader, of course, so every cat had to respect her._

_ The third cat was different, but we'll get back to him later. The fourth cat, Owlwing, wasn't a shock to anyone. All of the Clans knew where he had gone when he disappeared. Many hoped that his soul would be claimed by the darkness. But then there wouldn't be a story about him then, no? They feared he would take over the Clans upon his way back. But he didn't want the power to control. He wanted the power to _destroy._ And that's just what he got. Many were slaughtered. He killed off an entire Clan- did you know that there were once four Clans? He was finally defeated, while the Clans were left with nothing more than battered warriors and few numbers. The Clans only had a few cats each, so they had to let rogues and kittypets join or else they would die off. And with the loss of one Clan already, it was a high option. _

_ The third cat was different, a cat by the name of Frostdawn. He was a surprise to the Clans- he disappeared, but no one could believe that he had really gone to find the Heart of Death! It just wasn't possible for him- he got along with _everyone_. How could a cat with such a great life want to be so evil?_

_ But he wasn't. Frostdawn found his way to the River of Sorrow, surprising even StarClan, who had placed all bets against him finding it. He managed to locate the Cave of Shadows easily after that, but when he looked upon the Heart of Death… power wasn't what he wanted. Greed had long since disappeared, and ambition was there for only one thing. Peace. Raising his claws to the evil stone with all of the souls claimed by the darkness trapped inside, he attempted to destroy the Heart of Death right then and there. Unable to do so, the darkened spirits chased him away. He would've died had it not been for the StarClan cats watching over him during his escape, chasing the evil spirits back down to their cave._

_ He was a savior in the eyes of the Clans. They didn't believe him at first, but StarClan verified his words to be true. He was looked upon as a hero, even though the stone still stood. The one cat to look power, greed and everything you could ever want in the eye- and turn it all away for a chance at peace. Frostdawn has a special place in StarClan as he tries to watch over those with darkness growing in their hearts, to try to put them on a better path._

_ They say that you can see his eyes glowing silver, like two little moons, in the darkness when you decide to look for the River of Sorrow. Those eyes hold a warning: only death lies ahead. Turn back now, and you won't be lost in eternal pain and suffering."_

_ "How do you even find the River of Sorrow in the first place?"_

_ Innocence, pure, sweet innocence._

_ "Follow the dead and dying, they say. They shall lead you to the River of Sorrow."_

"And then you will be able to feel the Heart of Death bring you closer and closer," A pale brown tabby and white tomcat meowed, memorizing the words of the story that he had heard many times back when he was a kit.

Oh, the elders _loved_ to tell that story! And he loved to hear it, wanting to be remembered just like those other cats had. Just like Frostdawn, he had always said to himself. He would be just like Frostdawn, though he would do what the ancient cat had not gotten the chance to do. He story would destroy the Heart of Death. Even if it killed him. He wanted to bring order to the Clans, and if they knew that there was no way for evil to gain power… then he would destroy it, and make that happen.

Those eyes had appeared to the tomcat, he was _sure_ of it. Two little moons, glowing in the night, shining their warning just as the story had told. But he couldn't let them stop him. Sure, he wasn't all too sure of what 'the dead and dying' would be, but he knew that he'd find out sometime.

Stopping to hunt some prey, the tomcat sniffed around, inhaling the scent of a thrush. Padding around to the other side of the tree, he saw the bird lying dead on the ground. Cautious for some kind of trap, the tomcat made his way over to it. Silver claws sliced the skin open, letting wriggling maggots fall to the ground next to the bird. The stench that followed heartbeats later was unbearable.

As he took a few quick steps backwards, a smile grew on the tomcat's face. He found the dead. He was going the right way. The River of Sorrow was just around the corner, he was sure of it! Leaving the carcass behind, the tomcat raced through the forest. The faint scent of water hit his nose, and he ignored the dead prey creatures that littered the ground. Many were just skeletons, but there were a few that were still rotting. Giving a limping, dying mouse mercy the tomcat snapped its neck so it didn't have to suffer anymore.

Looking upon the slow moving river in front of him, the tomcat's smile only grew wider. A glint of silver caught his eye, and he knew that it was what he was looking for. Not thinking about the temperature of the water, since he didn't like it in the first place, he plunged in. Freezing water clogged his fur, dragging him downward. Kicking his legs out, he followed the silver light and the feeling deep down inside of him.

Gasping for breath, the tomcat found himself emerging in a cave. His eyes lit up, dragging his soaking pelt out of the water and into the cave. He could hear cries of long-dead spirits.

"Leave this place!" They called.

"Come towards the stone…"

"This place is evil…"

"Join us!"

Ignoring the voices, the tomcat shook the droplets from his fur and faced the glowing black stone with energy shining in his eyes.

"I am Thistlestep! I am here to destroy the Heart of Death, and bring peace to the Clans!" The tomcat, Thistlestep, growled. "I will do what Frostdawn failed to do. I will rid the Clans of this evil and bring a new order to them, one that won't tolerate disloyalty and disgrace."

"Will you now?" A mysterious voice asked. In the mist around the Heart of Death, the shape of a cat formed. A slender black she cat with glowing red eyes shone in the darkness. "Now, is that what you really want?"

"The warrior code isn't enough to keep cats away from evil," Thistlestep growled. "They break it again and again. Cats turn to darkness for power, wanting to rid the Clans of all order that they have. I want to restore that order and bring everlasting peace. Now die."

Thistlestep leapt at the stone, lashing his claws across the dark rock. His claws made no mark, which angered him since all of his power had been behind that swipe. _No matter_, he thought. _I'll just try again and again until the stone is gone._

Laughing from the ghostly forms rang in his ears as Thistlestep lashed out at the stone over and over, each time leaving no mark. Anger bubbled up inside of him, clouding his mind.

"What if I told you that I could give you the order that you wish?" The shadow cat asked. "I am Death, and I can give you what you need to make sure that no evil will ever tempt your Clans."

Thistlestep snorted. "Yeah right. _You're_ evil, I can't trust you!"

"And why not? I haven't done anything to you. You don't even know which of those cats in those stories those elders tell you are real, and which ones are fake," Death purred. Thistlestep tensed a little at her purr… there was something about it that just drew others in…

"And this… power you can give me," Thistlestep murmured, nodding his head. "It'll all be me. No other cats will try to do anything. They're all sealed in the Heart of Death, right? I can have the order that I desire?"

Death smiled, a smile that would've stopped any other cat's heart. "Only order, I can promise you that. Those cats foolish enough to want evil have been locked away. Only cats pure of heart are able to leave. Those cats you heard in your stories, they aren't true. Frostdawn came, yes, but after asking for power, I turned him away, and in anger he tried to destroy the stone and free the spirits."

"Free… the dead?" Thistlestep asked, eyes narrowing. _I almost did that_, Thistlestep cursed mentally. "No. I just want the order."

"The order it is, then," Death murmured, getting up and padding over to Thistlestep. "This may feel like you're getting nine lives, like a leader. It hurts, but the pain will go away. All true leaders are able to bear it."

Thistlestep nodded. Pressing his nose to the ghost cat's nose, pain spread throughout Thistlestep's body in an instant. Holding back a scream of pain, he stood up as straight as possible. The pain flooded through him like fire through his veins.

Letting out a gasp of pain, Thistlestep felt his legs failing him. As his eyes met Death's, Thistlestep realized that he'd been tricked. Death would never give him the power needed! If he could survive through this… he could go back to his Clan and forget any of this happened…

_"Beware young kit, those who mess with the power of Death will be roasted alive, their fleash forn from their bones, and cast aside like dirt..."_

Yowling in pain, Thistlestep collapsed to the ground. Writhing in pain, Thistlestep closed his eyes as he smelled his fur catching aflame. As it burned from his body, Thistlestep found his world going black. Skin ripped from his flanks, curling up at the edges. He could feel himself being burned apart from the inside and the outside, and as he gasped for breath, it was his last breath. His eyes opened to the everlasting darkness that came with the 'order' he wished to bring to his Clan, and the pain that would forever be infused with his eternal 'life'.

**Tell me what you think.**


	4. A Traitor's Story

**1/27/13**

**A ****new chapter! This is the fourth challenge that I have completed, and I have to say... I really enjoyed writing this one. Maybe it's because I believe that I put a lot of emotion into it... maybe, maybe not. Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter, still.**

**Tell me how I did with this one, because now... I can make my own challenges!**

**A Traitor's Story**

I'd like to say that I started out this way. I'd like to blame it all on others, saying that they made me who I am today. And in a way, it's true. If my mother would've cared for me, I wouldn't have been so desperate to get the affection of others, at whatever price. If my father noticed me every once in a while, I might not have tried to show off and make others hate me as much. If my littermates didn't ignore me for bragging and actually encouraged me, I might not have promised to never care about my family, who hates me. If she would've loved me back… I would've had a heart, I guess.

But even when I blame this all on them, I now know that it was _me_, too, who caused me to turn out this way. I know that each of my choices brought me further and further along that path to where I am now. If I would've stopped and _thought_ a little about this… maybe I would be a different cat today.

I can always say that, but somewhere deep inside of me I know that it's not true. I was always going to be like this. I was always going to be hated and looked down upon, no matter which choices I made. I was never enough for them. I was never enough for _myself_. I couldn't be perfect, in my eyes or in anyone else's eyes either. Why? I will always ask myself that. Even if they didn't love me… why didn't I? If I loved myself, then wouldn't that have caused me to have at least a _little_ of a heart?

I guess I'll never know. I can't go back and change the past. I can only regret my mistakes, and look towards my future. What future is that, you may ask? I can't yet see, but I can tell that the storm may be passing. Or at least settling down a little…

-x-

I started out as a normal kit. Everything was perfectly normal for the first few days after I opened my eyes. I found out that I look a lot like my father. He has dark gray fur with light tabby stripes, which I always thought looked really cool. My pelt is the same dark gray, but instead of stripes, I seem to have spots on my pelt.

I have three littermates. The smallest is a she cat. Her name is Rosekit, and she looks a lot like Mother. They both have a light ginger colored pelt with pale tabby stripes. The first thing I heard Mother say about her is that she's going to be a real beauty when she's older. I wonder what she means by 'beauty'…

My other littermates are tomcats, like me. One has a solid black pelt, and he's called Crowkit. I think it's because he's so grumpy sometimes, but Mother says it's because his pelt is as black as a crow. I like my version better. My other brother is Snowkit, the oddball of the litter, according to Father. Snowkit has a solid white pelt, which Father says is weird because no one in either family has a white pelt. I feel bad for Snowkit, since I wouldn't want to be the oddball.

-x-

_How could they do that? Why do they ignore me? Why can't they love me? All I feel is anger… they're my family! Is it something that I did? Did I do something wrong to make them all hate me so much? I guess my littermates don't hate me… but why does Mother hate me? She rarely talks with me, unless she's yelling at me. Everything I do is wrong, in her eyes._

_ Father's never around. He doesn't visit us like all of the other fathers do. Father is a fox-heart, according to Mother, whatever that means. She said that because he never comes to get to know us. But it's not like she knows us either! The time that I like her most is when she's sleeping and she can't yell at me…_

_ Is that a bad thing, StarClan? Is it bad that I don't love Mother? How can I love her, though, when all she is to me is mean? And Father… why, StarClan, is he never around? Does he not love us, StarClan? Are we not important enough to him? Why doesn't he love Mother? I can tell that Father tries to avoid her…_

_ Did I do something wrong?_

-x-

I was so glad to get out of the nursery the other day. Mother and Father were fighting, again. Father came to visit us – why would he wait so long to do that? – and Mother said that he should spend more time with us. We escaped from the den right as the two started fighting and yelling a lot.

We don't really have anything to do, other than to play with the older kits. But they always make mean comments to us about how our parents don't love each other and don't love us, at least like _their_ parents do. I hate them, they're so mean. I can't wait until they leave the den, in one moon. Then we can have some peace from them.

But they're right, aren't they? Mother and Father don't love each other. I can tell by the way they keep fighting. And they don't love us either, do they? They don't _talk_ with us much, they never have said 'I love you' like all of the other parents… they don't even care how much it hurts me to see them fighting all of the time.

Tallkit, one of the meanies, told me today that I was the reason that Mother and Father don't love each other. That we kits were the reason. He said that they loved each other a lot before we came around. I told him he's a liar, and that he's wrong. But StarClan, is he wrong? I wasn't around before, so I wouldn't know as much as he would. He's about four and a half moons older than I am. He _would_ know, wouldn't he?

Why am I the mistake that broke my parents apart? Why don't they love me?

-x-

_I hate them. I hate them so much right now! Why don't they understand anything? Why do they think that they can just do whatever, and that nothing they do will 'ever' affect anyone else? Mother and Father said that they weren't going to be mates anymore, so I guess it's official that they don't love each other anymore._

_ Sister and Brothers have been hanging out with the other kits more and more. After the meanies went on to being apprentices, there were some new kits to play with. So they just leave me behind and go play with the mouse-brained, brand-new kits. They're so boring! _

_ Sister has also been talking more and more with Tallpaw. I don't know why, since he's always so mean to us. She doesn't seem to notice all of the mean comments that he makes about all of us. He says the worst things ever, and she still thinks that he's the best cat in the Clan! My own _sister_ is fluff-brained! How- no _when_- did this happen?_

_ I can't wait to become an apprentice so that I don't have to be around Mother anymore. Father could care less, but I can't stand it… I _want_ him to see me, to notice my skills! It's all I do when I'm alone- I practice and practice until I'm so tired that I can't stand up anymore! I want him to see how good I am… I want him to like me. He sure likes his apprentice, Tallpaw, the lucky fox-heart._

_ Why can't he pay attention to me instead? _I'm _his kit, not Tallpaw!_

-x-

I guess one could say that things are getting better for me. I'm an apprentice now, so now I don't have to be around Mother or Father. Mother decided that she would leave the nursery early, so she abandoned us to be in the nursery with the other queens for the last moon during the day. She kept her nest in the nursery, most nights at least.

Father, the fox-heart, won't even go hunting with me without wanting to have his _precious_ apprentice Tallpaw come along. I tried to tell him that I hate Tallpaw, but he didn't listen! He never listens.

But now, I don't have to listen to him. I told him that the other day, when he tried to get me to go hunting with him and _Tallpaw_. I told him, 'You've never been a father to me, so just leave me alone already! Go be with _your_ apprentice, and stay out of my life!' I probably shouldn't have been that mean, but I couldn't help it! He made me so mad… he always makes me mad. Can't he see that I'm being rejected by him, more and more? He's filling my place in his heart with _Tallpaw_.

So much for parents. So much for the first thing they ever told me. So much for 'we'll love you forever'. Good riddance.

-x-

_Why do they hate me? Rosepaw, Crowpaw and Snowpaw all hate me, I can tell! They hate that I want to be the best that I can be, and always be able to protect my Clan. I don't know why, since they're always saying how they want to be the best that they can be! But when _I_ say it, no! I'm not _allowed_ to say that._

_ I told Rosepaw about how I'm going to be the best warrior the Clan has ever seen. I told her that I'd always be able to protect her. But guess what she did! She glared at me and told me 'quit bragging, you're just a nobody who wants to be something'. How could she say that? I'm _not_ a nobody… I'm going to be the leader of the Clan, I know it! I'll always do whatever it takes to protect and defend my Clan._

_ Plus, I'm so good that they should make me a warrior right now. I can beat all of the other apprentices in fighting practice, I can catch the most prey, and I'm always great about border patrols! My mentor, Rippleflame, told me that there was only one thing that I needed to work on before I can become a warrior. And what do you think that was?_

_ Teamwork._

-x-

It wasn't much longer before I was made a warrior. I knew that the leader of my Clan, Maplestar, was really interested in me. She knew that I was the best fighter in the Clan. She knew that I was an amazing hunter too. And she knew that I would be able to be the next deputy of the Clan. She knew that I was ready. She knew that. She _always_ knew that, from the moment I started my training.

So she chose Tallwhisker as the next deputy of the Clan.

-x-

_She knew better… why would she do this to me? She knew… I was the one… why wouldn't she have chosen me? How can she expect me to congratulate him on what should've happened to me? Oh well, it will change… everything will change in due time. _

_ I'm the one who's going to be the next leader. Maplestar still has a few lives left; I have nothing to worry about. She's not that old yet. And guess what? When the time comes for her to breathe her last breath, _I'm_ going to be the one who takes her place at the top of the Clan. _

_ I'll show Mother I was more than a nuisance. I'll show Father that I'm someone who should be respected. I'll show Sister that I'm not a nobody. I'll show my brothers who's the best of us all. I'll show the Clan how loyal I am, as I protect and defend them at the cost of my life. _

_ I'll show the entire forest that you can't mess with _my_ Clan._

-x-

Eventually I got over the fact that I wasn't deputy. I still _wanted_ to be, and was having these weird dreams about watching Tallwhisker die right before my eyes before I was called forth to be the new deputy of the Clan. Did it have some sort of meaning? That's what I kept asking myself. So as I trained and made myself better and better… one day, everything would change.

But, instead of worrying and hating Tallwhisker too much – I already hated him, yes, but I couldn't be bothered to ignore him and glare at him at the moment – I decided that I would rather spend my time training… and watching Sandheart.

She was the most perfect she cat that I had ever seen. Her beautiful, golden tabby pelt. Her gorgeous, large bright blue eyes. The way that she purred. Her smile. The way that she walked, and the way that she talked. The way that she always closed her eyes when she laughed, and the way that she made sure everyone else was sleeping before she fell asleep in LeafBare, but still managed to be the first to fall asleep in GreenLeaf.

She didn't notice me in the way that I noticed her. But I would wait for her, no matter how long it took. And she would never, ever know about how I was planning Tallwhisker's death. She would never, ever have to know that it was me. Never.

-x-

_Why won't she notice me? I do everything in my free time for her- I always ask her to go hunting, I always try to go on the border patrols with her. I always try to get her alone. She knows that I seem 'attracted' to her. I don't know that much about 'love', since I've never had that as a kit. But I really think that I do love her._

_ Why can't she see that? Does she not feel the same way towards me? No, of course she does! She knows that I like her, at least. I always try to catch her the best piece of prey, and even once I've told her 'I like you'. She replied 'I like you too', so I think that I'm doing well for someone who's never known love. _

_ And who knows? Maybe, in a few moons, I'll be deputy (or maybe leader) and she'll be a queen. I know that I'll be a better father than _my_ father was to me. I'll give my kits all the love that they want, and I'll never argue with Sandheart. I love her too much to do that._

_ Is love the feeling that you get when you think that she's the only thing that matters? When you find yourself promising that you'll never do anything to hurt her, and that you'll always be there for her? Is that love?_

-x-

I don't understand what happened. I mean, everything was normal. It all happened so fast! Or maybe it happened slowly, and I just never saw it. I must've been too obsessed with my training… that must've been it. Because… it shouldn't have happened!

Today I saw Sandheart with… another tomcat. I know, I shouldn't be worried. I've been trying to tell her how I feel about her for a moon now. I've been doing the best that I could without just spitting the words out. But… it was different today. When she was with the other tomcat, she was purring and laughing and they were _far_ too close to one another to be 'just friends'.

Why didn't I see this happening? Was I too blind, thinking that she'd always be there for my taking? Or was she just never meant to be mine?

After he had to go on a patrol, I confronted Sandheart about the matter. I asked her what she was talking to him about, which she told me that it shouldn't be any of my business. I couldn't help but tell her out I felt towards her at that very moment. 'I love you', I told her. 'I've always loved you, so very much'. She seemed shocked by that and told me that 'she hadn't known'.

That's a load of fox-dung. Of _course_ she knew! I've been indirectly telling her that for a whole moon now! Eh, who needs her? Not me.

But oh, how I want her.

-x-

_ She's going to be mine… that little fox-dung won't stand in my way for much longer. And once he's out of the picture, then she'll be mine, all mine. I can see him now, licking gently at the river. Nothing but peaceful. Oh, how I will love to destroy that peace!_

_ He's all alone at the moment. He's in for the scare of his life. I can almost feel the life bleeding from him, flowing onto my claws, staining them scarlet… I can see the red, filling my vision, flooding the sky; the forest is turning red with blood… what's happening to me?!_

_ I can hear his breathing. His heartbeat. I'm right behind him now… there's no way that he can stop me. For a heartbeat I think of Sandheart, and what she might feel seeing him dead. But no, she'll be happy with me, I know she will._

_ The blood is flowing on my claws, and it feels good. I can still smell his fear-scent. His eyes are still open, yet he never even saw me. Why would it even matter, though? She's mine now._

-x-

The entire Clan was shocked when someone – I can't even be bothered to notice who – discovered the body of Dustypelt at the river, his life gone, his blood seeping into the water and turning it a faint pink.

He was already cold when he was found, I know that. I stayed with him until all of the warmth had left his body, swearing to the spirit of my fallen Clanmate that Sandheart would be safe and happy with me. Is that wrong? I don't think so.

Sandheart had been so sad. I hated seeing her so sad, and I tried to comfort her so many times… but she was in too much pain to notice, or even care. She told me to leave her alone, since she wanted to remember Dustypelt in silence. Can't she see that I did this for her?

For us?

-x-

_She hates me. I can tell she does. She doesn't even have to say it. After I killed that flea-pelt, she hasn't even given me a glance. She doesn't know… she can't know. She just hates that he had to die. Can't she see that we can be happy together now? Why won't she love me?_

_ Did I do something wrong, trying to get us to live perfectly happy together? Was Dustypelt the only one that could ever make her happy? No, I can make her happy! She just needs to see that…_

_ I'll woo her for the next moon. I'll try hard, very hard. She'll see. She'll see what _we_ can become. We'll be the happiest in all of the Clans!_

_ I didn't do anything wrong. I did it for us._

-x-

Tallwhisker steals everything. My position as deputy, the love and care I should've gotten as a kit, my father… and now my sister, too. They've just announced how they're mate now, and she's expecting his kits. Why, Sister, oh why would you do such a thing to me?

No matter. I guess family is just here to throw you to the ground, to step on you when you're hurt, and to spit on you when you're in pain. They are there to laugh in your face, to mock your dreams, and to crush you down into nothing.

From this day on, my family means nothing to me. All of my loyalty towards them is gone. I am only loyal to my Clan now. My family can be cast aside. Family? What family?

I don't have a family.

-x-

_The time has almost come. Tallwhisker needs to count his days, since he doesn't have all that many left for him. He's taken everything, but now I'll be taking everything back. I'll kill him, and then I'll be the next deputy. And then Maplestar will pay, for making him deputy. _

_ She's already old, so no one will suspect anything. I'll just catch her when she's sleeping, hold moss over her face, and press down on her neck until she stops breathing. She'll never even know what happened, until she wakes up in StarClan._

_ I'll keep my Clan safe. There will be no room for traitors. Everyone will be loyal. No one will desert others, and we'll all be like one. That's how I'll build my Clan. We'll be the strongest in the forest, and the other Clans will follow in my paw steps. _

_ We will rise, and I will lead the way._

-x-

Everything after that happened so quickly. I don't know why, but everything seemed to be like a dream. Like it wasn't real, almost. I didn't think that it was real, at least. Not for a while. But during a battle with one of the other Clans, I saw my chance.

Tallwhisker was going to die.

I remember that I fought the other Clan for a while before turning on Tallwhisker. We had been separated from the rest of the cats, and there was no one to know that I was going to kill him. He wanted to know why I was doing this.

'Why?' I had asked him. Oh, he made me so mad! 'Why you ask? You took everything from me, Tallwhisker. And now it's time for me to take everything back.'

He tried to deny it. He told me that he hadn't taken my father from me, and that Father had only been with him so much because Tallwhisker was his apprentice. He told me that Sister didn't leave me, and that they were just in love with one another. 'Love makes you do crazy things,' he told me.

Yes. Love makes you do _very_ crazy things. I love power, I love my dreams. And I love my Clan. And that's why I found Tallwhisker at my paws, his life bleeding from the rip in his throat. It took mere moments before he went to hunt with StarClan.

I thought that I was alone, that no one had seen. But no. There was a witness. Everything spiraled downward as I heard Sandheart scream.

-x-

_Why did she have to see that? I should've been better at hiding it away… she wasn't meant to see something so gory, so cruel. What had I done? I ruined any chances of being with her, and any chances of becoming the next leader. All because she saw… I hated that, but I loved her so much…_

_ That's why I'm in front of the Clan. Why are they all staring at me like I'm some kind of monster? I was just protecting my Clan in the only way that I can – I take out the traitors, and make those who are loyal and worthy rise. Tallwhisker was a traitor, a bully. He deserved what came his way. Why didn't they understand that?_

_ Why… why are they calling me that? I'm not a traitor! He's the traitor! Oh, Sandheart hates me so much right now. Why did I admit to killing Dustypelt? If I hadn't done that, she might've still loved me… no, she never loved me. I have to face the truth._

_ When did I become the traitor?_

-x-

'Get out of our Clan!' The words were shouted angrily at me. 'Traitor!'

I never meant to hurt anyone. I never meant to become the traitor. I'm the one who tried to protect everyone… if I was able to protect everyone from the traitors, they would never see me this way.

'Get out, traitor. You are banished from the Clan.' Those words stung. Where was I supposed to go? My entire life was with this Clan, my home. My loyalty was here, with my fellow Clan cats. But they wouldn't want a murderer, now, would they?

So I left. I wish they had killed me, and sent me away to the Dark Forest where I belong. That would've made everything easier for everybody.

But no, so I still walk here, all alone, not sure where I'm going. I still look to StarClan… even if they don't shine down upon me anymore. Maybe one day I can get their forgiveness…

-x-

Letting out a groan, I stretched my legs. I hadn't moved in a while now, I had just laid there on the ground doing nothing. My pelt was ruffled and dirty, but I couldn't be bothered to clean it. What was the point anymore?

"Hello?" I looked up, startled by the voice. Who would ever talk with a traitor like me? Standing before me was a tabby and white striped she cat, her green eyes glittering with concern. "Are you okay, Mister?"

"Define 'okay'," I murmured, closing my eyes once more. Maybe death would take me this time.

"If you can't hunt, I can hunt for you," the she cat offered kindly. "You don't have to be alone anymore. There's a whole group of us forming not far from here… if you want to join."

Group? Like… a Clan, almost? Why must my past come back to haunt me, again and again? I didn't make any move to answer her, so I just listened as she padded away carefully. It was for the best that I was all alone.

Before I knew it, though, she was back. Peeling my eyes open, I noticed that a mouse hung from her jaws. She dropped it at my paws.

"Please, take it," the she cat meowed. "You need to eat something, Mister. If you don't eat, you'll die."

"Maybe that's what I've been trying to do," I replied.

"But… that's no way to live! Don't you have a family, or someone, that you care for and would do anything for? You can't just give up!" The she cat meowed sharply, her eyes glittering. Her tabby striped tail flicked back and forth.

"I used to," I replied. "I don't anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the she cat meowed, hanging her head. "I'm Spark, by the way. What's your name, Mister?"

"I don't have a name," I yawned, rolling over onto my side.

"Everyone has a name," Spark countered.

"I've lost my name," I growled. "Call me Traitor. It's what I am."

"I don't believe that," Spark meowed, licking at my ruffled and dirty fur. Yeah, good luck getting that cleaned. "I think you've just lost your way. Come on, join us. Maybe you'll find your purpose there."

"What do you call yourselves?" I asked. I wasn't going to join… I was just curious.

"We don't really have a group name yet," Spark admitted.

"What about… LostClan?" I offered. "For cats that have lost their way, or just become lost in general. A place to look for who you really are, or make who you want to be."

"A… Clan?" Spark murmured. "Interesting. So, does that mean that you'll come and join us?"

There was something about this she cat… I just couldn't say no to her. Did StarClan send me here, to teach these cats about their mysterious ways, and help them with their lives? That was always a possibility… I suppose.

"Sure, why not," I answered, shakily getting to my paws for the first time in days. There, I was a traitor. Maybe here I could be a hero.

**-x-**

**I couldn't help but add that last part in. Just because someone's a 'traitor' doesn't mean that they can't change for the better. Please leave comments below!**


	5. Lost in Love

**So for anyone wondering "Where have you been in the past few weeks/months?!" here's my answer: I was here, in a way. Nothing I say will make anyone believe that it's a good enough reason, and I have been reading a little bit, but I haven't had the drive to write in a while (along with school getting 10x harder... that's another story altogether).**

**But I'm trying to get back into the loop, and in trying to do so have completed my _fifth _challenge for WillowClan. I do not own Warriors!**

**Challenge completed: 4/19/13 (Happy Day of Silence everyone!)**

_Lost in Love_

Sandy yellow eyes flicked back and forth, watching the tiny kits playing with the moss in the hollow. A smile crossed the gray tomcat's face. The biggest of the kits, a dark gray tabby tomcat, leaped onto his smaller, tortoiseshell sister. As she let out a squeal, he jumped off and made sure that she was okay.

Graysand loved the kits with all of his heart and soul. They were his everything. He wanted to be closer to them, but was also worried to get close to them. He felt weird around kits, like they could break at any moment. All of the other cats told him that he wasn't going to 'break' his kits, but he wasn't so sure.

"Graysand!" The tiny tortoiseshell she cat squealed, darting over and tackling the gray tomcat. Graysand purred, falling to his side. The dark gray tabby kit joined in on the 'attack'.

"Oh no, you got me!" Graysand purred, flicking his tail and watching as the tiny she cat attacked it with her tiny claws. The tom stayed on Graysand's shoulders, batting at the tomcat's ears.

"Graysand, Graysand, will you take us hunting?" The she cat squeaked, her eyes widening. Oh, the look... He always had trouble saying no to the 'look'.

"I can't, it's against the warrior code," Graysand protested.

"Then... can you tell us a story?" The gray tabby kit asked.

"About what?" Graysand asked, thankful that the kits didn't continue to try to get him to take them out to see the territory. If they asked any more, he would probably have given in to their cuteness...

"Petalfrost," The two kits meowed at once, their eyes sparkling with innocence.

Graysand's heart broke. They wanted a story about... Petalfrost? He knew that he'd have to tell them about her sometime, but... He wasn't sure if he was ready. Casting a glance at the sky, Graysand let out a sigh. If he didn't tell them himself... they'd have to hear it from someone else... and they wouldn't get the correct picture of the situation.

"Of course," Graysand murmured. "This will be a long story, so let's head over to a nice, comfortable place."

The three cats padded over to a patch of ferns, making themselves comfortable.

"I met Petalfrost a few moons ago," Graysand began. "When I first met her, I never knew that anything would come from that..."

-x-

"Get off my territory!" Graysand hissed, swiping his paw at the tortoiseshell she cat in front of him. Stupid ShadowClan, Graysand thought. They just _had_ to go and attack RiverClan's territory. Again.

"Never," The she cat spat, raking her claws down Graysand's flank. Growling, he rolled over and kicked at her, knocking her to the ground. Leaping, he pinned her down by the shoulders.

"Go on," The she cat hissed in his face. "Finish me off, then!"

"ShadowClan might do that," Graysand muttered, clawing her belly once before jumping backward. "But RiverClan has more honor than that. We don't kill others just to kill them. We _follow_ the Warrior Code."

The tortoiseshell hissed, running off into the bushes. Graysand didn't know at that time that he'd see her again, and soon. There was something different about her, he had to admit. There was something about her, yes, which he was drawn to... But she was from another Clan. She could be his friend, ever.

-x-

"Hey there," Graysand greeted, seeing the tortoiseshell again. It was the night of a gathering, and he was glad that he was able to be there. It was a time of peace, so there wouldn't be any fighting. They could just talk... almost like friends.

"Oh, it's you," the she cat grumbled, giving him a little smile.

"Oh, it's you? That's all I get?" Graysand teased. "I see you're healing well."

"No thanks to you," The she cat meowed. "But I am glad that you decided not to kill me there. So... um, thanks."

"I wouldn't have killed you even if you were a rogue," Graysand meowed. "I have more honor than that."

"Oh, and I don't?" The she cat meowed.

"No!" Graysand meowed, embarrassed. "I mean..."

"I know what you meant," The she cat purred. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Oh, that purr! It was so beautiful, just like she was... Graysand paused his thinking, not wanting to admit to himself what he was feeling.

"So, you're from RiverClan," The she cat stated. "That's cool. Do you guys swim all of the time?"

"Not _all_ of the time," Graysand purred. "If we did, we'd have webbed feet."

"_Some_ of you do," The she cat meowed. "Doesn't the water just weigh your fur down and make you feel... _heavy?_"

"Are you calling me fat?" Graysand purred in a teasing tone.

"No! I... you know what I was talking about!" The she cat snapped, licking at her chest in embaressment.

"Sometimes, yeah, the water does weigh us down. But because of the fish we eat, our pelts don't hold onto the water like the other Clans' pelts," Graysand explained. "If _you_ were to fall into the water, when you get out you'd find that the water would stick to your pelt much more than it would stick to mine."

"Ah," The she cat meowed. She looked at him for a moment, tilting her head. "How rude of me! I haven't even told you my name yet. My name's Petalfrost, warrior of ShadowClan!"

"I'm Graysand, one of RiverClan's finest warriors," Graysand bragged, purring with laughter. He wasn't one to brag, and it was obviously just a joke, but he felt like he _should_ be able to brag around her.

"One of the finest?" Petalfrost purred, amused. "Is that so? Then ShadowClan should _definatly_ win the next battle, then."

"Don't count on it," Graysand growled. He shook his head before meowing, friendlier, "So, why was ShadowClan even trying to take our territory?"

Petalfrost looked away, her blue eyes focused on the ground. "Ever since the twolegs started showing up in our territory, prey has been harder and harder to find. My sister, Lilywhisker, just had kits a moon ago. Four healthy little kits, the cutest I've ever seen. Everyone's starving, trying to keep them fed, along with the other litter of two kits and our third queen, who's expecting kits very soon. We're running out of food, and so we were trying to get more territory..."

Graysand laid his tail on Petalfrost's shoulder, getting a shocked glance from her. "I understand. Kits are important to every Clan, and no one would want them to starve."

"I thought that I could help my sister," Petalfrost whispered. "But I went at it the wrong way. But... I don't have any other way of getting prey! RiverClan on one side, twolegplace on the other..."

Graysand wanted so badly to say that he would help her... that _he_ would catch prey for her to give to her sister's kits... But he couldn't do that without breaking the Warrior Code! He wanted to help her with all his heart though, and he barely knew her!

"I have to go," Petalfrost meowed quietly, standing up and turning to walk away.

"Petalfrost, wait. I..." Graysand meowed, leaping to his feet. "Meet me here... tomorrow night, okay?"

Shock and confusion flashed through Petalfrost's eyes for a moment. Graysand waited for an answer, worried. What if she said no? What if she turned him in to his leader for trying to break the Warrior Code?

"Okay," Petalfrost meowed quietly. "Tomorrow it is, then."

And with those last words, she disappeared into the bushes after her Clan. Graysand closed his eyes, thinking of her. He made sure that he could remember every little detail of her... The bright blue of her eyes, the pale striped ginger that was right around her eyes. He could see the black and white spots on her face. Her left ear was black tipped with white, the other black tipped with ginger. She had white whiskers that wre dark around the base. Her muzzle was white, and there was a white spot on her nose.

Petalfrost... Somehow, he knew at that moment that there was going to be something between himself and her that would be more than friends, more than... _warriors_.

-x-

"She looks like me!" The tortiseshell she kit squeaked, her tail waving back and forth. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Yes, Rosekit, she does look a lot like you," Graysand meowed, licking at the young kit's forehead.

"And _I_ look like you!" The dark gray tabby tomcat meowed loudly, puffing out his chest.

"Yes little Stormkit, you do." Graysand purred as he gave his son a lick on the forehead, proud of both of the kits. They hadn't even _done_ anything with their lives yet - they were too young to do that - yet he was _so_ proud of them!

"So what happened to Petalfrost? Did you meet her there?" Rosekit asked. She seemed really interested in the story. Her brother, who was sitting right next to her, also seemed interested. Usually the little tomcat couldn't sit still for very long, but hearing about Petalfrost... it made him sit still.

"I did," Graysand meowed. "I didn't think she'd show up, but sure enough... she showed up, just as she said that she would."

-x-

"You came!" Graysand meowed, his eyes widening when he spotted the tortiseshell pad out into the open clearing. She looked around, worried. She didn't look like she wanted to be there, or even felt comfortable there.

"Why'd you want me to come anyway?" Petalfrost asked, looking suspiciously around.

"There's no one else here," Graysand promised. "I... I want to help you, Petalfrost. I want to help you help your sister and her kits."

"...What?" Petalfrost asked, a confused look on her face. "Why would you want to do that? You're from RiverClan, and I'm from ShadowClan! Just us _meeting_ here is against the rules of the Warrior Code! Are you _mouse brained?_"

"No," Graysand meowed. "Cats shouldn't deny a kit in need is part of the Warrior Code, no matter what Clan they're in. It would be against the code for me to help those kits... RiverClan's fine right now. We don't have many kits to care for - only three, and they're well fed - and we have more than we need. It wouldn't matter if I didn't bring back as much prey as I _should_ be bringing back..."

Petalfrost shook her head. "I can't make you do that. Think of the trouble that we'd get in if anyone found out about it!"

"We? So you'd help me?" Graysand asked.

Petalfrost's eyes widened. She nodded, a detirmined look on her face. "I would do anything to help my sister and her kits. So if it means breaking the Warrior Code... StarClan will understand. It's to help kits, so what does it matter?"

"Exactly," Graysand meowed. "So, come with me. Let's go over to my border, and we can start this right away."

"R-right away?" Petalfrost asked, looking around once more. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. And don't worry - we don't do midnight patrols, so no one should find us here," Graysand informed. The two walked side by side - not close enough for their fur to touch - over towards the RiverClan/ShadowClan border.

At one point, their fur _did_ brush, and both cats felt their faces grow warm with a blush that couldn't be seen due to their fur. There was definatly something there between them, Graysand knew it, but he wasn't sure if she felt the same towards him. Especially if she knew the real reasons for him wanting to help her... he wanted to get closer to her. Kits were important, yes, and played a big role in this, but he really wanted to get closer to her. She was different than the other she cats in his Clan - they didn't bring feelings like that to him. He was a little afraid that he... _liked_ her.

-x-

Day after day, the two snuck away from their Clans. Graysand explained his lack of prey by not being as good of a hunter and having bad luck in the past few days. He said he was being too slow and careless, and he promised that he'd try harder.

In the days that they had met, Graysand and Petalfrost talked frequently about themselves, their lives, and their Clanmates. Petalfrost talked a lot of Lilywhisker and her four little kits - Shadekit, Pinekit, Blossomkit and Bushkit - and how they were doing a lot better now that the Clan had a little more prey. The Clan loved that Petalfrost was such a great hunter, and she had told Graysand that she had felt so guilty for taking all of the credit.

"Come on, take the fish!" Graysand laughed. "It's big enough to feed a _couple_ of warriors!"

"If I take it, someone will _know_ something's up!" Petalfrost protested. "And if someone knows that something's going on - or even if they _think_ it - then we won't be able to continue meeting like this..."

Petalfrost looked over at Graysand, and he almost thought that he might've seen _love_ in her eyes. Could someone fall in love in only half a moon? Petalfrost pressed against his shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his.

"I don't want to stop meeting you, Graysand," Petalfrost whispered. "I... I really like you. No one else..."

"Makes you feel this way?" Graysand offered. Petalfrost nodded. Graysand sighed, "The same with me. I wish... borders didn't matter. I wish you were in RiverClan."

"Or you were in ShadowClan," Petalfrost meowed.

"Why... why do we have to be in different Clans?" Graysand muttered, looking up at the darkened sky. The stars and moon were hidden - StarClan couldn't see what was going on.

"I don't want to stop meeting you, ever. Please, promise me," Graysand meowed, "That you'll always be here... if I need you. I love you, Petalfrost. I can't live without you."

"I love you too Graysand," Petalfrost whispered. "I promise I'll be here for you, as long as you're here for me."

"Always," Graysand promised. "Forever..."

-x-

"What do you mean you're expecting kits?" Graysand meowed, not bothering to hide the shock in his voice. It had been three moons since they had first starting meeting each other...

"I knew you'd be mad," Petalfrost meowed sadly, shaking her head and turning away.

"I'm not mad! I'm _thrilled!_" Graysand meowed, licking Petalfrost's shoulder. "This is great!"

"W-what?" Petalfrost meowed, turning around. "You're... happy?"

"Of course!" Graysand meowed. "These kits... they're a link between us. They'll swim like RiverClan and be able to move through the shadows, just like ShadowClan. They're going to be the greatest warriors in the forest! They'll have two parents who love them very, very much..."

"But they'll never be able to _know_ that!" Petalfrost yowled, pain showing in her eyes. Tears sprung up in the corners of her beautiful blue eyes. "For their own safety, they'll have to be purely ShadowClan! I don't want them to be looked down upon for being half-Clan kits!"

"What?" Graysand asked, saddened. Would he never get to see his kits, never get to watch them grow up? Would he not get to be a part of their lives? "What are you talking about, Petalfrost? Will I not be able to see my kits?"

"Not as a father," Petalfrost meowed sadly. "For them, that's what's best."

"Not having a father is better than having a father from RiverClan? Where's the sense in that?" Graysand meowed. She couldn't keep him from his kits... could she?

"There isn't any!" Petalfrost cried. "But it'll keep them safe, Graysand!"

"_I'll _keep them safe," Graysand meowed. "I'll keep them safe, and I'll keep you safe. I promised you that, and I'll always be there for you... you just have to be there for me, too."

"I... I need time to think," Petalfrost murmured.

Graysand nodded, watching her turn and walk back over to her territory. It broke his heart to watch her go, because he wanted her to be able to come back to his Clan to be with him... Why couldn't she do that? Why'd she have to be from ShadowClan, anyway?

_Follow your heart._ That's what his mother had told him once upon a time, back when he had first become a warrior. He hadn't known what she had meant by that, but now he thought that he did. This is what he was meant to do... he could _feel_ it.

-x-

"Graysand!" Petalfrost meowed, running across the border.

Graysand looked at her, a little confused. He was on a border patrol with a few of his Clanmates. Pebblefoot, a gray and white she cat, glanced over at him with a 'why does she want to talk with you' look.

"Petalfrost," Graysand greeted her, taking a few steps forward to meet her. In her ear he whispered, "They'll know, Petalfrost. I thought you didn't want to meet one another during the daytime..."

"I can't stay in ShadowClan anymore," Petalfrost whispered back. "I told my leader that I took a mate from RiverClan, and in anger he banished me." She didn't look happy about that at all, though. "I can't be a rogue... the kits are due in a couple of days, Graysand. They won't survive if I'm a rogue."

"RiverClan will take you in, I'm sure of it," Graysand murmured, licking her ear.

"Graysand, what's going on?" Wrenwing asked, his green eyes narrowed. "What's she doing on our territory? Can't ShadowClan stick to their own borders?"

"I'm not part of ShadowClan," Petalfrost meowed quickly and a little sharply. "Well, not anymore."

"So you're a rogue," Pebblefoot meowed, a growl in her voice.

"She's going to be part of RiverClan," Graysand meowed.

"What?" The other two RiverClan cats gasped. "No she's not!"

"She's my mate," Graysand growled, standing in front of Petalfrost protectivly. "And she's carrying my kits."

"They're due in a few days," Petalfrost added.

Pebblefoot sighed, shaking her head. Her brother's mate had just had her kits a half-moon ago, so she knew how small and fragile kits were when they were born.

"Come on, let's go back to camp," Pebblefoot muttered. "Wrenwing, check the rest of the border quickly and then head back to camp, okay?"

"Whatever," The younger warrior muttered as he stalked away.

Together, the three cats headed back towards RiverClan's camp. None spoke on the way, expect for a few words of comfort from Graysand. When they got back to camp, they were greeted by a group of cats who were all wondering why the patrol had 'captured a ShadowClan cat'.

"Graysand, Pebblefoot, what is the meaning of this? Why have you brought a ShadowClan cat - an expecting queen nonetheless - to our camp?" Wavestar asked as he raced over to meet them.

"I've come to RiverClan to ask for a place among you," Petalfrost meowed, bravely stepping forward to look the leader in the eye.

He held her gaze for a moment, not saying anything. Sighing, he asked, "And why would you do that?"

"She's expecting my kits," Graysand meowed, stepping forward to stand beside his mate.

A few of the Clan gasped before they whispered among themsevles. 'Traitor' and 'breaking the Warrior Code' were both brought up frequently in the whispers, Graysand noted.

Wavestar nodded. "I can't turn away an expecting she cat. It would endanger the kits." He looked around at all of the cats of his Clan. "I'm going to let..."

"Petalfrost," Petalfrost meowed quickly.

Wavestar nodded. "I'm going to let Petalfrost stay here for a while. If she can prove her loyalty to the Clan, then she may be able to stay and become one with RiverClan. But if she proves to be disloyal, she will be chased off... without her kits."

"But they'll be half-Clan!" One of the cats in the crowd called out.

"That's still half RiverClan," Wavestar pointed out.

"But-"

"The word of the leader is law," Wavestar reminded the warrior. "This is my decision." He turned to Graysand. "Show her to the nursery."

Graysand nodded, joy filling his entire being. She'd be able to stay! He quickly led Petalfrost over towards the nursery.

The small ginger queen who was in the nursery, Rippleflame, looked at the two with wide eyes as she wrapped her tail protectivly around her three little kits.

"It's okay Rippleflame," Graysand meowed. "We won't hurt you."

"Who's she?" Rippleflame asked, her gaze flicking between the she cat and the tomcat in front of her.

"I'm Petalfrost," The tortiseshell explained. "I'm... I _was_ from ShadowClan."

"She's my mate, and her kits are due in a few days," Graysand finished.

Rippleflame nodded, visibly relaxing some. "So you're going to be my denmate now? Good, because it was getting lonely being in here all by myself."

Petalfrost grinned and settled down in some moss.

"I'll go get some prey," Graysand meowed, ducking out of the nursery. He hurried over towards the pile, grabbing a fish and a squirrel before returning to the den. "I've got prey," Graysand murmured around the bodies in his mouth. He dropped the fish next to Rippleflame, who thanked him. Then he turned to Petalfrost, giving her the squirrel.

"Why don't you leave us to get aquainted with one another?" Rippleflame meowed. By the tone in her voice, it wasn't a request - it was more of a 'command'.

Graysand nodded. "If you need anything..."

"I'll get you," Petalfrost promised, licking his ear. "Don't worry, Graysand. Everything's going to be fine."

Graysand nodded, leaving the nursery once more. A drop of rain fell down onto his nose. The gray tomcat looked up at the sky, seeing the brewing storm. Had he been a medicine cat, he would've seen the omen behind it - the warning hidden within the sign.

-x-

"So she's part of RiverClan now?" Stormkit asked. "So then where is she?"

Graysand shook his head. "Like I told you before, she's not with RiverClan anymore."

"Why would she go back to ShadowClan?" Rosekit asked.

Graysand loved her innocence. If only she was older, then she'd understand what he was trying to tell her. But he knew that if he waited until they were older, they'd never understand... and they'd grow up living a lie.

But it had been so recently that he wasn't sure if he'd be able to talk about it... Could he really finish the story? It only had a few days left... He looked over when he saw a pale gray she cat padding over to him.

"Are you telling them about...?" The she cat asked, her eyes filled with empathy.

Graysand nodded. "Kits, you both know my mother, Willowstripe."

"Of course we do! She visits us every day," Rosekit squeaked.

Willowstripe purred. "Are you enjoying Graysand's story?" Both kits nodded. She turned to her son. "Have you told them about the day they were born yet?"

"I was just about to get to that," Graysand murmured.

"Should I finish the story?" Willowstipe whispered.

Graysand shook his head. "I need to finish it."

His mother nodded. "I'm here for you, my son. If you need help... I'm here."

-x-

"Yellowsplash, come on! Get over here, the kits are coming!" Graysand yowled, standing right outside of the nursery. He watched the golden she cat come racing out of her den, a huge bundle of herbs in her mouth.

A small ginger and white tomcat was at her side, another bundle of leaves in his mouth too. The younger cat's eyes were wide with fear.

"What's wrong?" Graysand demanded when Yellowsplash placed the herbs next to a moaning Petalfrost.

Yellowsplash didn't answer, and instead started giving Petalfrost some herbs to chew on. "Firepaw, get some poppy seeds," Yellowsplash ordered. The small tomcat bolted out of the den.

"Graysand, it hurts," Petalfrost moaned, her face clentched in agony.

Graysand licked at his mate's head, murmuring, "Don't worry Petalfrost. It'll all be over soon. Just think of the beautiful kits we'll have. I hope they all look just like you."

Petalfrost yelped a little at the pain. "Only she cats could look like me," Petalfrost meowed quickly before she moaned again as the pain returned once more.

"Yellowsplash, isn't there anything that you can do to take away the pain?" Graysand asked, looking worriedly at his mate.

Rippleflame was curled up in the corner, keeping her three kits in her nest. She and Petalfrost had become good friends in the last few days. The ginger she cat looked frightened and smaller than normal, surounded by a wall of bright green moss.

"The pain means the kits are coming. It should tell us when she needs to push," Yellowsplash explained. She sniffed at the air, confusion flickering across her face.

"...What's wrong?" Graysand whispered, his eyes widening. He sniffed at the air, a sharp tang catching in his nose. Blood!

"I-I don't know," Yellowsplash meowed.

Petalfrost screeched in pain, twisting a little on the ground.

"The first kit's coming!" Yellowsplash meowed.

It wasn't long before there was a tiny, dark gray tabby striped bundle of fur was lying next to Petalfrost. But there was something wrong... there was a lot of blood.

"There's something _very_ wrong here," Yellowsplash muttered. "Graysand... I don't think..."

Graysand shook his head. This wasn't happening, she wasn't going to die! Yellowsplash was wrong... Why was there so much blood? Graysand started licking at Petalfrost's head.

"Everything's going to be okay," Graysand murmured between licks.

"Graysand... take care... of the kit," Petalfrost meowed. She let out another screech of pain.

"There's still another kit," Yellowsplash meowed frantically.

Petalfrost was loosing the battle and quickly weakening before Graysand's eyes. A small tortiseshell rested at Petalfrost's side. More scarlet blood covered the ground, making the den have a rancid smell. Rippleflame had taken her kits out of the den when the blood had first started.

"It's okay, Petalfrost," Graysand murmured. "It's all over now, Yellowsplash will take care of you. I'm here, I won't leave your side. Everything's going to be fine, you'll see." He could feel the tears starting to build in his eyes. He didn't believe his own words.

"Graysand... Promise me... you'll take... care of our... kits," Petalfrost whispered. Her bright blue eyes were slowly fading, but they were clear of any pain. He hated seeing her in pain...

"I promise," Graysand choked out, licking at his mate's head. "But you don't have to make me promise! You'll be right here, raising them alongside me. Everything will be okay, Petalfrost."

"I... love you... so much," Petalfrost meowed.

"I love you too," Graysand meowed. "W-what should we name the kits?"

Petalfrost paused for a moment, looking like she was struggling to think of a name. "R-Rose... kit."

"Rosekit, it's a beautiful name," Graysand murmured. "She's just as beautiful as her mother."

"Your... turn," Petalfrost whispered.

"How about Stormkit?" Graysand could feel the tears spilling from his eyes.

"...Perfect," Petalfrost gasped. Her body jerked as she gasped for breath, making a choking sound. "See you... in... StarClan... my love."

"I love you," Graysand meowed.

He licked his mate's head one last time before her eyes closed, and her body stilled. Her listened as the breath left her for the last time. Her flank stilled, and Graysand knew that she was gone.

"Petalfrost..." Graysand cried, crouching at her side. "Don't... no..."

Yellowsplash hung her head. "I'm sorry, Graysand. There was nothing I could do to save her. She walks with StarClan now."

Graysand, feeling numb, nodded. He knew that when something like that happened, there was nothing that a medicine cat could do to save the cat. It had happened with a queen when he was just a little kit.

"Stormkit and Rosekit are still alive," Yellowsplash pointed out. "I'll ask Rippleflame if she can nurse the kits... I really am sorry, Graysand."

The gray tomcat nodded, his sandy eyes dull. The light of his life was gone. Right before his eyes, she disappeared. And there was nothing that he could do to help her, to save her, to keep her with him and never let her go. _I promised to take care of her_, Graysand thought bitterly. _And I couldn't even do anything about it. _

-x-

"She's with StarClan?" Rosekit asked. Graysand nodded. Rosekit's eyes narrowed. "She's joining too many Clans! She should've decided to stay here in RiverClan instead. We've got the best territory and the best prey, according to Gingerkit."

"I wish she stayed here too," Graysand murmured numbly. He felt his mother give his ear a comforting lick. "But, I promised her that I'd look after you two, so that's what I'm going to do."

"I'm glad you decided to stay," Stormkit meowed.

"She didn't decide to go. She just wasn't able to stay," Graysand clarified. "Petalfrost... she would've stayed if she could have... She'd always talk about you two, before you were born. She'd say how you'd both be the best hunters because you could stalk like a ShadowClan cat and catch fish like a RiverClan cat."

"I'm going to be the best warrior in the forest!" Stormkit yowled.

"Not if I beat you there," Rosekit growled playfully, leaping at her brother and knocking the tomcat to the ground. They played there for a moment before Stormkit chased Rosekit across the clearing.

"They remind me so much of her," Graysand murmured sadly.

"I'm glad that you were able to tell them what happened," Willowstripe meowed, putting her tail on her son's shoulders. "They deserve to know about their mother. I'm very proud of you, you know."

"For what? Telling them a story?" Graysand asked.

"For stepping up, for taking care of them, for having to bravery and strength of heart to do something that many cats would never be able to do," Willowstripe meowed. "I heard you talking to her, at that gathering all those moons ago. You helped save those kits, you know. ShadowClan would've lost them had it not been for you. You're a savior, Graysand."

"Y-you knew?" Graysand gasped.

"Of course I knew, I'm your mother," Willowstripe purred. "I'm proud of you for doing everything that you could for her. I thought of her as my daughter in those few days that she was with RiverClan - I could see how much you loved her."

Graysand nodded. "I will always love her."

"And I'm proud of you for keeping your promises," Willowstripe finished. She stood up. "I bet she's watching over you right now, with a smile on her face. I bet she's just as proud of you as I am."

"Thank you, Mother," Graysand murmured. He glanced over at his kits, and while he was watching them, he almost thought that he felt that soft, tortiseshell fur brush up against his side once more. "I'll always protect them, Petalfrost. Watch over us," Graysand whispered. "I love you."

And Graysand almomst thought that he heard someone reply back, _"I love you too."_


End file.
